1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fitting device of a wiring harness protector mounted in a sliding door of a motor vehicle. The fitting device prevents deformation of the wiring harness protector disposed in the sliding door to reliably accommodate a wiring harness therein.
2. Related Art
As illustrated in FIG. 16, a wiring harness (a plurality of electrical cables) 70 is arranged in a sliding door 71 of a motor vehicle such as a so-called one-box car. The wiring harness 70 leads to a vehicle body side for supplying electrical powers and electrical signals to electric equipment and auxiliary machineries. The wiring harness 70 is curved within a synthetic resin protector 72 disposed in the sliding door 71 such that the wiring harness 70 can expand and contract in response to opening and closing movements of the sliding door 71.
The protector 72 is defined not only in a rectangular shape but also in a generally semicircular form in conformity with a curved part 70a of the wiring harness 70. The protector 72 has a pair of broad front and rear walls 73 and three narrow walls 74 constituting an upper wall and two side walls. The protector 72 has a slit opening 75 elongated in a longitudinal direction of the sliding door. The protector 72 is secured to a metal door panel 76 with bolts or clips (not shown) at a plurality of peripheral points in a front side of the protector 72. The protector 72 is close to or in contact with a synthetic resin door trim (trim cover) 77 at a rear side thereof. The door trim 77 is fixed to the door panel 76 with bolts or clips 78.
In FIG. 16, when the sliding door 71 slides forward (in a rightward direction in FIG. 16) to fully close the sliding door, the wiring harness 70 is drawn rearward to be stretched as illustrated with chain lines. Meanwhile, when the sliding door 71 sides rearward to fully open the sliding door, the wiring harness 70 is pulled forward to define a smaller radius bend as illustrated generally with solid lines in FIG. 16. The opening and closing movements of the sliding door 71 cause the wiring harness 70 to expand or contract. This decreases the protector 72 in thickness to achieve a reduced volume of the sliding door.
Other than this aspect of the wiring harness protector, it has been proposed that the wiring harness 70 is urged upward by a resilient member within the protector for surely absorbing looseness of the wiring harness 70. In place of the resilient member, it has been proposed that the wiring harness 70 slides in a lower part of the protector 72 with using a horizontal rail and a slider.
However, since the protector 72 with the foregoing structure has thin walls made of a synthetic resin material, the protector 72 may deform in a thickness direction thereof due to heat or an external force. This reduces a harness accommodating space in the protector so that the wiring harness 70 can not move smoothly within the protector 72 during the opening and closing movements of the sliding door 71. At worst, the protector 72 is pushed out of the protector 72 to be pinched between the sliding door 71 and a body of the vehicle, causing damage of the wiring harness.
Furthermore, the protector 72 has the lower slit opening 75 elongated in a longitudinal direction of the car for leading the wiring harness 70 out of a lower side of the door trim 77 so that the lower side of the door trim 77 can not be secured to the door panel 76. Thus, the door trim 77 is not stable enough to prevent deformation or vibration of the door trim 77.
In view of this situation, a first object of the invention is to provide a fitting device of a wiring harness protector mounted in a vehicle sliding door of a motor vehicle, the harness protector preventing deformation of the wiring harness protector disposed in the sliding door to reliably accommodate a wiring harness therein. A second object of the invention is to provide a fitting device of a wiring harness protector mounted in a vehicle sliding door, the harness protector enabling a sufficient fixture of a door trim.
For achieving the objects, a first aspect of the invention is a fitting device of a wiring harness protector mounted in a sliding door of a motor vehicle, the harness protector accommodating a wiring harness leading to a vehicle body side, the harness protector having a first wall and a second wall opposed to the first wall. The fitting device comprises a first securing means and a second securing means, and the first securing means secures the first wall to a door panel of the sliding door, while the second securing means secures the second wall to a door trim of the sliding door.
The foregoing structure secures the door trim to the second wall of the harness protector, preventing at least an inward deformation of the second wall of the harness protector. Meanwhile, the first wall of the harness protector is secured to the door panel, preventing sufficiently an inward deformation of the first wall of the harness protector. This keeps an enough space in the protector for receiving smoothly reliably the wiring harness. The second wall of the harness protector is secured to the door trim so that the door trim can have an increased rigidity strength, preventing vibration and a noise thereof.
Accordingly, during the opening and closing of the sliding door, the wiring harness is not jammed within the protector, eliminating damage of the wiring harness to ensure a reliable power supply to a side of the sliding door. Furthermore, the looseness and falling-out of the door trim is eliminated, improving the vehicle in reliability.
Preferably, the second securing means is a fabric fastener. Thus, the protector is easily secured to the door trim with the fabric fastener. The fabric fastener provides a little positioning allowance between the harness protector and the door trim, enabling an easy securing work thereof. Alternatively, the second securing means comprises a resilient stopper clip and a hole engageable with the stopper clip. Thus, the stopper clip can secure the harness protector to the door trim more reliably than the fabric fastener.
Preferably, the second securing means comprises a stopper protrusion and an engagement portion engageable with the stopper protrusion. The engagement of the stopper protrusion with the engagement portion reliably secures the harness protector to the door trim with an increased strength.
Preferably, the engagement portion comprises a pair of resilient pinching pieces opposed to each other, and the stopper protrusion enters between the pair of resilient pinching pieces to engage with the engagement portion. Thus, the resilient pinching pieces pinch the stopper protrusion to easily surely hold the stopper protrusion with the insertion completion of the stopper protrusion. Furthermore, the stopper protrusion can be removed from the pinching pieces with ease if desired.
Preferably, the engagement portion comprises a through hole and an embossed wall positioned around the through hole, and the stopper protrusion has a plurality of resilient hook pieces that are engageable with the embossed wall. The resilient hook pieces pass through the hole of the engagement portion so that the hook pieces engage with the embossed wall to secure the harness protector to the door trim. The stopper protrusion is elongated by the provision of the embossed wall so that the resilient hook pieces can deflect with ease. The stopper protrusion can be inserted into and removed from the hole with a less force.
Preferably, the stopper protrusion is horizontally elongated along the second wall of the harness protector. This configuration enables an increased bending strength of the stopper protrusion in a vertical direction thereof, so that the door trim can be supported via the harness protector against the weight and vibration of the door trim. The elongated stopper projection formed on the protector wall surely prevents deformation of the protector wall. Thereby, the wiring harness is reliably accommodated in the protector.
A second aspect of the invention is a fitting device of a wiring harness protector mounted in a sliding door of a motor vehicle, the harness protector accommodating a wiring harness leading to a vehicle body side, the harness protector having a wall secured to a door panel of the sliding door. The fitting device comprises a securing means for securing the wall of the harness protector to the door panel to prevent deformation of the harness protector. Thus, the harness protector has a wall secured to a door panel of the sliding door by a securing means which can prevent deformation at least of the harness protector wall positioned in the door panel side. This can keep an accommodation space for smoothly receiving the wiring harness. During the opening and closing movement of the sliding door, the wiring harness will not be jammed within the protector, eliminating damage of the wiring harness to ensure a reliable power supply to the sliding door side.
Preferably, the securing means is a fabric fastener or an engagement mechanism, the mechanism having a resilient stopper clip and a hole engageable with the stopper clip. The protector is easily secured to the door trim with the fabric fastener. The fabric fastener gives a little positioning allowance between the harness protector and the door trim, enabling an easy securing work thereof. Meanwhile, the stopper clip can secure the harness protector to the door trim more reliably than the fabric fastener.
Preferably, the securing means comprises a holder plate formed on a wall of the door panel and spaced from the door panel to provide a clearance therebetween, and the clearance receives another wall formed on the harness protector to secure the harness protector to the door panel. Thus, the wall of the harness protector is pinched between the door panel and the holder plate, surely preventing deformation of the harness protector wall to keep it straight. Furthermore, an easy insertion of the harness protector wall between the door panel and the holder plate can secure the door panel, improving a workability of the securing step. There may be provided a little positioning allowance between the holder plate and the harness protector.
Preferably, the securing means comprises an insertion opening formed on the door panel and a hook portion formed on a wall of the harness protector, the hook portion spaced from the wall of the harness protector to provide a clearance therebetween, and the clearance receives a wall of the door panel to secure the harness protector to the door panel. The hook portion is inserted into the opening, and the harness protector slides along the door panel wall, so that the door panel wall engages with the clearance between the hook portion and the harness protector wall. This prevents or corrects the deformation of the harness protector wall. The harness protector wall keeps straight along the door panel wall. There may be provided a little positioning allowance between the hook portion and the harness protector wall.
Preferably, another wall of the harness protector is secured to a door trim of the sliding door by another securing means. Thus, the engagement of the door panel and one wall of the harness protector is made simultaneously with the engagement of the door trim and the other wall of the harness protector.
Preferably, the harness protector has a generally circumferential wall for preventing deformation of the harness protector in a thickness direction of the harness protector.